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Balloon crash kills tourists in Cappadocia, Turkey | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Two tourists have been killed and more than 20 other people injured after two hot-air balloons collided in Turkey, a local official says. | Two tourists have been killed and more than 20 other people injured after two hot-air balloons collided in Turkey, a local official says. |
One ascending balloon was torn open as it hit the basket of another, and then plunged to Earth, witnesses said. | One ascending balloon was torn open as it hit the basket of another, and then plunged to Earth, witnesses said. |
The accident happened in Cappadocia, a region popular with tourists for its spectacular volcanic rock formations. | |
At least one dead victim is reported to be Brazilian. Turkey's civil aviation agency says it has launched an inquiry. | At least one dead victim is reported to be Brazilian. Turkey's civil aviation agency says it has launched an inquiry. |
Among the questions considered is likely to be whether too many balloons are taking to the skies in Cappadocia. | Among the questions considered is likely to be whether too many balloons are taking to the skies in Cappadocia. |
In 2009, a British tourist was killed and nine other people were injured in a balloon collision. | In 2009, a British tourist was killed and nine other people were injured in a balloon collision. |
One American tourist, who saw Monday's accident, said he was aboard one of about 100 balloons which had taken off early in the morning. | One American tourist, who saw Monday's accident, said he was aboard one of about 100 balloons which had taken off early in the morning. |
"It was probably some 300m (980ft) in the air and it descended increasingly rapidly to the ground," E Wayne Ross told the Associated Press. | |
"There was a large tear in the fabric, probably some 10 to 15m long.'' | |
Broken bones | |
Cappadocia, in central Anatolia, is famed for its "fairy chimney" volcanic cones, subterranean cities carved out of soft stone and early Christian churches. | |
Ballooning has become a popular tourist business in the region over the past decade. | |
The passengers on board the doomed flight were mostly tourists from Brazil, Argentina and Spain, according to Abdurrahman Savas, the governor of Nevsehir province, who visited the injured in hospital. | |
He announced that a second person had died, after earlier reports said one Brazilian man had been killed. | He announced that a second person had died, after earlier reports said one Brazilian man had been killed. |
Many of the injured had broken bones. | Many of the injured had broken bones. |
The accident follows one in February, when a balloon caught fire and crashed in Egypt, killing 19 tourists. | The accident follows one in February, when a balloon caught fire and crashed in Egypt, killing 19 tourists. |